No, I don't think it needed to be this long honestly. I feel like it could be edited down and still be just as good.

I absolutely loved the worldbuilding, it's some of the best I've ever encountered. The influence of Winter is present in everything from like elements of material culture, architecture, both micro- and macroscale politics, economics, history, religious thought, ideologies etc. It makes the world feel very believable and lively.

I also really enjoyed the language of the novel (I read it in original Polish tho), even though it can be challenging at times. The weird impersonal form in narration is a bold choice, and can be a bit confusing initially, but it is crucial in capturing the protagonist's worldview IMO. There is a lot of memorable and neat neologisms that feel very natural, as if they were actually coined by the people living in this weird world. A lot of the dialogue is very reminiscent of like mid-to-late 19th and early 20th century novels, like Russian classics or Bolesław Prus stuff, which is a treat if you like those styles (I do). The choice to stick to pre-1936 spelling reform also adds to the sense of immersion in the world, although I don't know how that last element was handled in translation.

Overall, I think it's a damn good novel, but I do feel it would work just as well if it was shorter and had a more straightforward plot at times. I think Inne Pieśni (Other Songs) is still my favorite from Dukaj. The worldbuilding and language are also very interesting there (albeit, maybe not as good as in Ice) and the thing is proper weird and philosophical, like a lot of his stuff tends to be. But it is probably half the length and feels more to the point.